Motivation. Some days we have it and some days we don’t. At times we want to do all of the things and the next day we waste away watching Netflix (or the Blue Jays if you’re me). Why is it that some people seem more easily motivated to practice healthy habits, when others seem to lose the motivation much more quickly?

This week I asked on my Instagram story “what makes you motivated to accomplish your health/wellness/fitness goals”? I had a great number of responses so stay tuned for more questions related to this topic. Today’s post is just a starting point for where I see this going as I feel motivation is a huge part of what makes some of us successful and others not able to get past the start line.

Some of the things that motivate me to accomplish my health/wellness/fitness goals include:

the mental break from other components of my life when working out

finding like-minded individuals who also value health and keep me accountable - I don’t want to let them down either!

the way my body feels after a workout or eating a nourishing meal

On the other hand, below is a list of things that may lead me to feel less motivated:

the weather! In the winter it is dark ALL the time and I sometimes don’t want to leave my condo. In the summer, when it is too hot I also am left feeling tired and lazy.

injuries! I am less motivated to workout even within the restrictions of my injury because I can use the injury as a crutch and excuse that I don’t need to work out today.

when the people around me don’t value practicing the healthy habits I do

I have been feeling stuck lately on how to approach this when it comes to inspiring people to join my classes, hire me as a trainer, and get moving. I know I am knowledgeable and experienced. I am accessible for most people financially. I send reminders out. People say yes or seem interested but I still never see them. I have come to the realization that as much as I can do my job well it ultimately takes the motivation from within someone to really make a change.

Take a moment to answer some of the these questions:

What makes you motivated to stay on track to achieve your goals?

What leaves you feeling unmotivated, leaving your goals by the wayside?

What is the tipping point to make you realize, “wow, I need to step it up!”?

Everyone experiences better days and then days where we feel less motivated to do things. It is totally okay to take a break, give yourself some rest and recovery, indulge, and have fun. However, we want to hope our motivation to lead healthy, active lifestyles is the priority overall. In my opinion, we also need some fun and indulgences in order to feel balanced.

As a trainer and fitness instructor, I have experienced that people come to you when they have hit a wall, or rock bottom, and can’t seem to get out of a rut. Great! I love inspiring and motivating others to be their best selves. However, what if we could find things we enjoy so the motivation is almost always genuine, natural, and second nature? I challenge you to start finding things that you enjoy. Exercise and movement should be fun and it might look different for everyone. Healthy eating doesn’t always mean hours of meal prep - maybe searching up a new recipe to try once a week.

In my eyes, motivation to lead a balanced, healthy life is just like comparing a diet vs a lifestyle change approach. Diets are temporary and the motivation to keep them up can come and go. But, when you practice a healthy lifestyle, although setbacks are inevitable, we should be actively choosing meals we like to eat and taste good, and moving because we want to and it is fun. Nothing should feel like a chore. The next time you are feeling unmotivated, ask yourself why. Challenge yourself to do the things that make you wake up and excited for the day ahead. A diet is like a sprint. Short, sweet, but doesn’t last long. We want to run a marathon, leading a healthy lifestyle, lasting a lifetime.